2 posts tagged “sipura”

First of all I don't have any information now, but will post any I receive as I hear back from friends or contacts with first or second hand experience.  The only people who know the real scoop are out on boats now or will be going out over the next month or so.

I realize it is a bit crass to be discussing surf spot changes when there has been loss of life and much loss of property in the area, but if you can take a longer term view the world class spots offshore from Sumatra are some of the most consistent in the world and are one of the best chances to bringing low-impact, high-dollar tourism and development to this area.  Ask yourself, would Dr. Dave Jenkins have started Surf Aid to prevent malaria in a group of rural, undeveloped islands on the _eastern_ side of Sumatra?  Surf spot changes (which are bound to be mostly negative) will impact the long-term growth prospects of this region.  I hope there were no negative effects on spots and that the word gets out that Macca's is still working while people are still thinking about where to go for next season.

Generally speaking it usually takes an 8+ earthquake to materially deform the earth's surface, and the 8.6 that hit North of Nias in March of 2005 has had a big effect on spots in Nias, the Hinakos, Simeulue, and the Banyaks.  I did some imprecise Google Earth measurements and Lagundri Bay on Nias is about the same distance from the 8.6 Northern Sumatra quake as the southern end of South Pagai in the Mentawais is from the recent 8.4 quake.  I realize the most recent quake may or may not have created much uplift but just on distance alone it still could affect Thunders, The Hole, and other secret spots in the southern Ments.  Waves on Enggano or mainland Sumatra could be more significantly affected.  Finally, Northern Sipora (the telescopes area) suffered a direct hit from a 7.2 aftershock.  That's almost as big as the Loma Prieta earthquake that hit the Bay Area in 1989.  Even if there was no effect on local surf spots it might be a bit harder to find a family to stay with if you want to go feral in Tua Pajet.

Boat travel logistics is an unappreciated aspect of the trip that you don't really grasp until you've been there.  This post assumes you're on a boat that cruises at 8-10 knots, and even fast boats can only go fast during the day.

The Crossing

First of all your prototypical 11-night boat trip leaving from Padang really only has 10 surf days.  The first night and the last night has you crossing the channel between Padang and the islands.  It really does take all night.  if the wind is up for any reason, the crossing could get pretty bumpy. 

Playgrounds/Northern Sipora

The shortest distance between Padang and the Ments is to the Playgrounds area between Siberut and Sipora.  This area is densely packed with spots that work on a variety of conditions.  Bank Vaults, E Bay, Rifles, Kandui, Burgerworld, Pit Stops, Chubbies, 4 Bobs, etc.  Northern Sipora is nearby with also has 2 good lefts and one epic left, Telescopes. Because this is the typical arrival and departure point for the Mentawais and has consistent spots that  work with almost any conditions, a boat could conceivably spend all 10 surf days in this area.  This is a risk you take when booking the cheapest trip you can find.  However, if you're scoring pumping  Rifles, Telescopes, and Bank Vaults for a week straight you'll be too tired to care that you never made it down to Macaroni's. 

Southen Sipora

About half a day's motor from Playgrounds, this area has HT's and Lance's, both of which are consistent waves that work on opposite wind conditions.  Always lots of boats congregated in this area.  Coming straight here on your first day is pretty unlikely since the guide wants to make sure you get some waves the first day and Playgrounds is a sure thing for rideable waves.  You could conceivably surf this area on your last day but you'd only get a half day session because the crossing would take so long.  Figure you get 8-9 surf days max at HT's.

North Pagai/Macaroni's

From Playgrounds, on a typical boat it takes a full day to get down to Macaroni's.  Which means you either miss surfing for a full day or you drive there at night.  No waves for a full day is a non-starter early in the trip for the guests.  Motoring all night the night before or after the crossing is a non-starter for the crew, or at least a favor the guide can't call in very often unless he thinks it will get everyone a healthy tip.  So therefore you cannot spend the first or last day of your trip at Macaroni's, leaving you with a maximum of 8 surf days as far south as Macca's on a typical 10 day trip.

South Pagai

The South Pagai area has heavy duty hollow waves like Rags and really consistent swell magnet waves like Thunders.  A typical boat will spend most of a day getting to and from Thunders from Macaroni's, so you're really left with about 6 days max in this area, and those days must fall in the middle of your trip.  The area south of Thunders is home to a number of semi-secret spots that require specific conditions, for example the spot where Dane Reynolds got the killer left barrel in Young Guns 2.  Surfing magazine outed this spot as "Green Bush", but chances are you won't surf there without taking a longer trip with a motivated, knowledgeable captain.  Most boats will not go south of Thunders because it adds a half day of motoring each way and the captains either don't know about or won't chance the spots that require specific wind and swell directions.  

Breaking the Cycle 

There are a finite number of boats, their schedules are published, and the only real flexibility the guides have is in the middle 5-6 days of their trip.  Therefore although it may seem farfetched, it's not that tough for a guide who knows the boat schedules, the current conditions and the spots to guess where the other boats will go and go somewhere else to score uncrowded waves.

Even the lazy will score in the Mentawais

Scuzz of Sumatran Surfariis sold me on a Ments trip by noting that in spite of the 40-odd charter boats, "There are so many 'B' waves in the Mentawais".  If you have pumping swell and no wind, then there will be 25 quality waves going off all over the ments, and even with two boats each on 20 top spots you'll still score more waves than your endurance can handle.  Given their consistency, Mentawai B waves like Icelands, Bank Vaults, Lance's, or Thunders would be destination waves anywhere else in the world.  Getting one of them with just you and your friends out will make for an unforgettable session.